


Untangle This Mess Inside of Me

by sicparvis87



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 04:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15941375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sicparvis87/pseuds/sicparvis87
Summary: CyberLife have designed a new piece of hardware that they've loaned to the DPD. They want RK900 to help test it with one of their engineers. RK900 would rather test it with his partner.





	Untangle This Mess Inside of Me

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing these two. I'm not usually a WIP person but this idea has been pestering me for weeks and it's too involved for me to try and write in one go so I hope will be on board for it. Feedback is greatly appreciated for momentum purposes! It sustains me and keeps the train on the rails.

“900!”

RK900’s eyes snapped up from the device sat on Fowler’s desk to the Captain himself. “Apologies, Captain. I was simply analysing the device. It is an impressive piece of hardware.” He ignored the way Connor side-eyed him, small frown between his brows. “I accept your proposal.”

The Captain’s heart rate decreased with the knowledge that RK900 had actually been listening to him. “Well, alright. Connor, you’ll monitor the situation, make sure everything is within safe parameters or whatever shit it is you do.”

“Of course, Captain.”

“CyberLife are gonna send one of their guy’s over in the next couple of days.” When RK900 tilted his head a fraction, questioning, the Captain continued, “They’ve done some tests at HQ, they got a better idea of how this shit works than anyone here so figured they’d send one of their own for the test. I ain’t about to argue with ‘em. Are you?”

RK900 knew it wasn’t a question. It was a directive. “No, Captain.” Connor’s frown deepened.

“Alright. Stick to paperwork the next couple of days. I don’t want you out in the field and missing this guy showing up. Bad enough we gotta work around ‘em already,” Fowler muttered to himself. When he turned back to the files on his desk, RK900 considered himself dismissed, leaving the office with Connor following behind.

They both headed for their respective desks, their partners absent as they worked a case door to door. A task unnecessary for their skillset.

_‘You wanted to try the device with Detective Reed.’_

RK900 glanced across at Connor who stared intently at his terminal, the yellow whirring of his LED the only evidence of the internal communication.

_‘It is of no consequence to me.’_

_‘He’s a bad influence on you. You never used to lie to me,’_ Connor replied, his harsh words softened by the smile teasing his lips.

RK900 turned his head slightly towards Fowler’s desk, seeing the device still sat there. The Interfacer. CyberLife’s latest creation. A way of allowing humans to interface with androids. To share data and emotions without words.

It was a prototype. Still in testing and not ready for release to the public yet. But CyberLife had issued one to the DPD with the pitch that it may help solve more cases involving androids – whether they be suspects or victims. Many androids still struggled to verbalise what they felt and interfacing made the process move much faster. However, this was creating a backlog in work with so few androids being available on the force to instigate the procedure.

It seemed logical.

What wasn’t logical was the way RK900 had felt immediate disdain at the concept of testing the device with anyone other than Detective Reed. It seemed only right that the first human he attempt an interface with was his partner, someone with whom he had a rapport.

It was, of course, a falsehood to say he hadn’t imagined interfacing with the detective on numerous occasions. Especially at the start of their partnership. RK900 found him very difficult to understand, his actions so often at odds with his words. His aggression masking insecurity. RK900 wished he could see beneath the surface. Wished he could show Gavin how he saw him in turn.

Things had improved over the last several months. They had passed through the hostility, endured the neutral acceptance and now sat at a friendly companionship that RK900 treasured. But he still craved that intimacy. That openness.

Connor wouldn’t understand. The Lieutenant was always open and forthcoming. Any time he appeared to be closed off about something, it took Connor no time to coax it out of him. Another harsh reminder of their difference. How Connor was built with a state-of-the-art social protocol whilst RK900 had been created for intimidation. People did not take kindly to making themselves vulnerable to him.

_‘I will just have to be patient. My work with this CyberLife employee will increase the probability of the device going into public circulation and I will then be able to take the opportunity.’_

Of course, there was also the underlying fear that Gavin would reject the idea outright. That he wouldn’t want RK900 seeing what was below the surface, even if Gavin were still in complete control of what was fed through the connection. Perhaps he would see it as too much of an android technology and be repulsed at the thought. They had come a long way since the days of ‘plastic prick’ and ‘tin can’ but RK900 couldn’t overlook the fact that some of the prejudices might still linger. He had noticed on more than one occasion the displeased look that would cross his partner’s face when he and Connor had interfaced.

 _‘He might surprise you,’_ Connor interrupted, picking up on his thoughts. _‘I will admit to being surprised by the detective’s behaviour a lot in the last few months.’_

 _‘Perhaps,’_ was all RK900 could bring himself to say before going back to the files on his terminal.

~*~

He stayed late, the rest of the precinct either on patrol or off the clock, leaving him alone in the bullpen. There had been a 66% chance that Gavin would return to the precinct after his house calls instead of heading straight back to his apartment but as it fast approached midnight, RK900 suspected perhaps his preconstruction had been inaccurate. More and more, his preconstructions regarding Gavin proved incorrect. Most likely a combination of the man being so infuriatingly unreadable and RK900 allowing hope to skew his analysis. Both were sub-optimal.

“What the hell are you still doing here?”

RK900’s eyes snapped from his terminal to Reed as he collapsed in his chair in the desk opposite. He dismissed the countdown he had put in place for how long he would wait for his partner’s potential arrival and offered the man a small smile.

“I had numerous reports I wanted to finish,” he said before adding, “and I wished to see how your case had progressed. And to make sure you hadn’t murdered Lieutenant Anderson during it.”

Gavin barked out a laugh at that, a sound that always caused the same phantom thirium pump error message to appear. “You can tell your doppelganger his Lieutenant is safe and well. Much as ever, at least. Door to door was a fucking bust,” he continued, swiping up the stress toy on his desk and working it over in his hands. “No one saw shit. We’re wasting our time looking for witnesses, these guys weren’t sloppy.”

“Then it is back to looking at the evidence. But we have been over it many times already. I do not see what-“

“What’s that?”

RK900 blinked at the interruption. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Gavin was showing all the usual signs of having consumed too much caffeine in a single day, one of which was becoming easily distracted. RK900 didn’t need to look at what Gavin was pointing at to know what he was referring to.

“It is CyberLife’s latest piece of technology,” he said. He had finished his reports within a few hours and soon found himself without any urgent or secondary tasks to attend to. So he had returned to Captain Fowler and asked if he may examine the device and download the manual so as to better understand what he would be dealing with when the engineer arrived. Fowler had just waved him off which RK900 took as an assent and brought the device back to his desk where it now sat.

“Not as impressive looking as some of their other shit,” Gavin mumbled as he drew his chair closer to examine it. “What’s it meant to do?”

“It is called an Interfacer. It is supposed to allow humans and androids to interface, much as androids are capable of doing with each other.” RK900 noticed the way Gavin’s shoulders tensed, his heart rate increasing. “It is still undergoing tests, however, but CyberLife believe it may be a beneficial tool for the DPD due to the current lack of android staff.”

“How thoughtful of them,” Gavin muttered, still staring unblinking at the device.

“A CyberLife engineer is due to arrive in the coming days to perform more tests.” RK900 hesitated before adding, “I have been tasked with being the other party in these tests.”

Gavin’s gaze snapped to his. “With this CyberLife guy?”

“Yes.”

“Whose fucking idea was that?”

“I believe it was a joint decision between CyberLife and Captain Fowler.”

Gavin muttered a curse under his breath. More thirium pump errors appeared at the thought that Gavin found the proposal just as disdainful as he had.

“I don’t fucking trust those guys,” he spat, fingers practically mutilating the poor stress toy still in his grip. “What if this is just some bullshit way of hacking you or something?” RK900 blinked at his partner. He had failed to consider that. Both the suggestion and his lack of foresight were concerning. “They should let _you_ decide who you do it with,” he continued, eyes skirting away to return to glaring at the device.

“I would have liked to interface with you,” RK900 said honestly, watching as Gavin exhaled sharply through his nose, throat working as he swallowed. He chanced a glance up but their eyes only met for a moment before Gavin looked away again. “I would have suggested it to the Captain were I not convinced that you wouldn’t wish to be monitored during the process.

RK900 watched Gavin furiously squeeze the toy. When his partner spoke, his voice was rough and low. “Would you be able to monitor it yourself? While it’s happening, I mean?”

RK900 fought down the static-like charge that buzzed across his artificial skin at the insinuation. The hope. “I am capable of performing hundreds of tasks simultaneously. Data collection should not be a problem.”

Barely had he finished the sentence before Gavin snatched up the device and began walking towards the interrogation rooms. “Come on,” he threw over his shoulder, prompting the android to follow suit.

He opened the door, gesturing for RK900 to continue inside before locking them both in. They took a seat opposite each other as Gavin threw the device on the table with more force than a prototype should probably be permitted. RK900 chose not to point this out.

“If we can collect as much information as possible, those fucks over at CyberLife won’t have to poke around inside your head. Right?”

“Theoretically. Although they may have some objections since the data was gathered without one of their own in attendance.”

“Well, I’m not sure I give a fuck,” Gavin replied. “You know how this works?”

“I have downloaded the comprehensive user manual as well as having read it four times in total. I think I have a pretty good idea,” he said, offering a small smile. Gavin let out a laugh that was little more than a gust of air. RK900 noticed that there was a slight tremble to his hands but it may have just been a result of the caffeine. “Would you like to know how it works?”

“No, just-“ he nodded to the device, gesturing for him to just get on with it. And so he did.

The device was in two pieces, both linked wirelessly. The first was the cranial component. Lightweight, it sat on the head and two pads at each temple were fixed in place to allow the data connection. The pad on the right temple resembled the androids’ LEDs, an unnecessary aesthetic enhancement but it did allow a visual representation of the calibration process.

RK900 pressed the pads to Gavin’s temples as carefully as possible, monitoring his heart rate the whole time. It was increasing with every minute but it had yet to reach an alarming figure. “This will allow the device to sync up with your wavelengths. It may feel a bit uncomfortable at first but you should be prompted with a series of basic tests in order to calibrate the device.”

Gavin gave a sharp nod at the instructions as RK900 prepared the other part. “Could you please remove your jacket?” He did as he was told, throwing his jacket over the back of the chair and rolling his sleeves up.

The second component was the interfacing sensor. It looked just like a series of wires with more pads attached to the ends. It was the part that allowed the interface to happen. RK900 wrapped the base of it around Gavin’s bicep, strapping it into place, then fastening another strap around his forearm before pressing each pad carefully to the fingers of his right hand. RK900’s gaze snapped up to his partner as his heart rate spiked dangerously but Gavin’s focus was resolutely on their hands.

He was nervous.

“We do not have to proceed if you are uncomfortable,” he said, that fear from before returning. The concern that Gavin wouldn’t want to do this with him. That the only reason he suggested it at all was out of his distrust of CyberLife.

“Just get on with it,” Gavin bit out, fingers twitching.

It wasn’t reassuring. RK900 hesitated, wondering if he had the will power to call it off now when he was so close to getting what he’d always wanted. He glitched when he found Gavin grip his hand quickly before pulling away again. “I want to,” he clarified. “I just don’t know what the fuck is going to happen.”

RK900 allowed himself a moment to relax and compose himself before replying. “Once you have calibrated with the device, you simply need to focus on one piece of information you wish to send across via the interface. I recommend we start simply. One piece of data you would like to share.  Then perhaps we can build from there if you are agreeable.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Gavin said, almost convincingly. “And this?” he asked, raising his wired up arm. “We do it the same way you guys do it? With the arm grab and everything?”

RK900 smiled, amused at the description. “Correct. If that is alright with you?”

“Stop asking me if everything’s alright,” Gavin said but without any bite. “We’re good. I trust you.”

RK900 had to blink away several error messages at the admission, static disrupting his voice box, forcing him to hesitate until he could get the words out clearly. “Then please, touch your right temple to begin.”

Gavin complied and RK900 began recording.

Gavin kept his eyes closed throughout the calibration. His heart rate became steady and the tenseness around his eyes began to ease. His fingers continued to shake. The LED at the side of his head was whirring a constant yellow as Gavin continued to sync his thoughts with the device. While he waited, RK900 went over the manual one more time, just to be sure.

Gavin blinked his eyes open as the LED settled to a content blue. RK900 mused that, were it a permanent fixture on Gavin’s temple, it would rarely be such a colour, such was his temperament. “What are you grinning at?” Gavin asked.

It was hardly a grin. He didn’t have the benefit of such a full range of facial expressions, but it never failed to please him how Gavin managed to tell the difference between his micro-smiles. “I was just considering the fact that a blue LED would be a rare look on you, were you an android.”

“Saying I’ve got issues, RK?”

“In abundance, detective,” he replied, the familiar teasing banter helping to ease both of their nerves. “Have you settled on the information?”

“Yeah. But just for that, maybe I’ll change it.” At RK900’s frown, he waved it off. “I’m just fucking around, I know I need to focus and not change my mind and all that shit. The disembodied voice explained, I get it. You ready?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“As I’ll ever be. Don’t give me that look, just fucking do it already.” When RK900 still hesitated to offer his arm, Gavin slapped it gently. “Hey. Trust _me_. Alright? Come on.”

As he extended his arm across the table, RK900 rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, retracting the artificial skin to reveal the plastic beneath. Gavin gave him a nod as he closed his eyes, focusing on whatever piece of information he had deemed worthwhile sending through their first interface. Though it was unnecessary, RK900 found himself closing his eyes too.

The moment the connection was made, he was lost.

The surge of desperate want was overwhelming. All he’d ever wanted was laid bare before his fingertips.

He greedily took the information offered. Gavin Reed’s favourite food was spaghetti bolognese cooked by his maternal grandmother. Fascinating. But beyond that he could see more. So much more. He wanted it all.

He took it all.

Waves and waves of data crashed over him, the onslaught of input straining his processors. But he couldn’t stop. There was so much and he needed it all. Needed to know Gavin Reed inside and out. Needed everything. He caught flashes of memories. Sensations. Pain. So much pain.

He needed to stop. Now.

Wrenching his arm back, he broke the connection, falling to floor with the force of it. He was overheating, various panels having automatically opened to help with the venting and relieving his processors. His vision completely obscured by overlapping errors and warnings.

He was gasping for breath he didn’t need, nausea sitting low in a stomach he didn’t possess. He felt _wrong_. He felt _everything._

Rushing to wipe away the errors so he could regain control of his optical units, his thirium pump stuttered at the sight before him.

Gavin remained frozen in his seat, eyes wide and unseeing, his entire body trembling. The LED a vibrant, solid red at his temple.

RK900 rose with less finesse than usual, scrabbling to close the distance. “Detective?” he said, his hands hovering around his partner, too concerned – too _scared_ – to touch him. There was no response. “Reed?” Nothing.

“Gavin, please.”

The nausea began to grow, the sensation unwelcome and infuriating with no way to expel it. He dimly registered that he was also trembling. The manual. He needed to check the manual.

His processors were a mess. Code and data were crammed into every available, illegible as a whole. It was like wading through a thick viscous liquid, trying to retrieve the relevant information amidst the flashes of unfamiliar sensations and memories.

Once he reached it, he went straight to the troubleshooting section.

_If, during the interface procedure, either party experiences an LED that is a solid red, please contact your nearest CyberLife store immediately._

RK900 ran a hand through his hair in distress. A pointless gesture. Meaningless. He did it again out of frustration. He couldn’t go to CyberLife. This was untested hardware. This was an unsupervised trial. They could lose their jobs for this. RK900 could be decommissioned.

It had been _stupid._ Gavin had put his trust in him and it had left him catatonic. He felt the static surge in his voice box; recognised it as as close to a sob as he would ever manage.

There had to be a way to fix it. There must. He couldn’t go to CyberLife but they couldn’t stay here. That really only left one place. As carefully as he could, he picked up Gavin bridal style, along with his jacket, turned off all the CCTV in the building until they were outside and slid them both into Gavin’s car, heeding no speed limits as he rushed to salvage what he could of the situation he’d created.


End file.
